1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a cart, and more particularly, to a utility cart for supporting and transporting a conventional landscaping appliance, such as a hand-held leaf blower, garden caddy, wheelbarrow, dump bed, spreader or chemical dispenser.
A conventional hand-held leaf blower is economical and ideal for use in a confined area and for a limited period of time. However, when required to be used in a larger area or for an extended period of time, even a lightweight, hand-held leaf blower can become tiresome to hold and manipulate. Further it is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain the airflow from a hand-held leaf blower at a consistent level above the ground. Under these circumstances, it is desirable to utilize a leaf blower that is mounted on a moveable cart, similar to a snow blower.
A conventional garden caddy typically includes a hollow, interior compartment and a lid that also functions as a seat. Accordingly, a garden caddy is useful for storing gardening tools and supplies and for providing a sturdy seat to alleviate the stress of kneeling or standing while attending to low level vegetation. At times, the garden caddy is attached to a wheeled platform having a handle such that the gardening tools and supplies can be easily transported to and from the garden. In most cases, however, the garden caddy is permanently fixed to the platform. Thus, the garden caddy is not easily and readily removable so that the wheeled platform can be put to other uses when the garden caddy is not in use.
A conventional wheelbarrow and a conventional dump bed typically include an open cavity for temporarily supporting and transporting dirt, gardening tools and supplies, building materials, refuse and the like. Conventional wheelbarrows and dump beds, however, are inherently unstable and prone to tipping on uneven terrain. Accordingly, they are not well suited for supporting and transporting large, heavy or awkward landscaping appliances, such as hand-held and back-pack spreaders and chemical dispensers. As a result, many accidents occur each year from the misuse of conventional wheelbarrows and dump beds to support and transport such landscaping appliances.
2. Description of Related Art
Utility carts are well known for supporting and transporting conventional landscaping appliances between locations where the appliance is to be used. As previously mentioned, it is also known to mount a conventional garden caddy on a wheeled platform so that the garden caddy may be transported to a location where it is then supported on the platform at the location where it is to be used. Although known utility carts and wheeled platforms are suitable for these uses, none of the known carts are versatile enough to support and transport both a conventional hand-held leaf blower and a conventional garden caddy, as well as other conventional landscaping appliances.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,088 to Toth discloses a leaf blower mounted on a wheeled deck. The leaf blower includes an axial fan secured to the horizontally extending drive shaft of a motor mounted on the deck. Although the wheels are adjustable relative to the deck to allow for the height and angle of incline of the fan to be optimized, the location of the fan relative to the deck cannot be changed. Thus, the air stream from the fan is always in the same general direction relative to the deck. Further, existing leaf blowers mounted on carts are typically more expensive and are heavy, loud and difficult to store. The ideal solution to the aforementioned problems would be a hand-held leaf blower that is temporarily supported on a compact utility cart. Accordingly, the leaf blower could be removed for use in a confined area and for a limited period of time, or may be positioned on the utility cart for use in a larger area or for a longer period of time. Heretofore, however, no such lightweight, compact utility cart for temporarily supporting and transporting a hand-held leaf blower has been available.
When not employed to support and transport the hand-held leaf blower, it would be desirable if the utility cart were versatile enough to be suitable for other uses as well. For example, it would be desirable for the utility cart to support and transport a conventional garden caddy that combines an interior storage compartment for storing garden tools and supplies with a sturdy seat for alleviating the stress of working for extended periods of time in a flowerbed or garden near to the ground. Heretofore, however, no such versatile utility cart has been available.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,826 to Flowers discloses a multi-function cart. Although the cart is primarily for use as a mechanic's creeper or a wheeled drip pan, it is conceivable that the cart could be configured for use as a garden caddy. Unfortunately, the cart disclosed in the Flowers patent is not compact and easy to maneuver, nor can it be readily converted to temporarily support and transport a lightweight, hand-held leaf blower or other landscaping appliance, such as a hand-held or back-pack spreader or chemical dispenser. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,796,155 to Cabler discloses a three-wheeled cart for facilitating garden work. The cart includes a comfortable seat and a compartment for carrying tools or garden materials. However, the Cabler cart likewise cannot be readily converted to temporarily support and transport a hand-held leaf blower or other landscaping appliance, such as a hand-held or backpack spreader or chemical dispenser.
Accordingly, it is apparent that a need exists for a lightweight, compact utility cart for supporting and transporting a variety of landscaping appliances between locations where the appliance is to be used. In particular, it is apparent that a need exists for such a utility cart that can be easily and readily converted to temporarily support and transport a conventional hand-held leaf blower or a conventional garden caddy. It is further apparent that a need exists for a lightweight, compact utility cart for securely supporting and transporting a large, heavy or awkward landscaping appliance, such as a hand-held or back-pack spreader or chemical dispenser.